mm 


I  to  Ml  at  Vera  Cm,  March  22,  1847. 


"In  science,  in  erudition,  in  taste ;   in  honor,  in  generosity,  in  humanity;    in  overy 
liberal  sentiment,  and  every  liberal  accomplishment."    Burke. 


NEWPORT,  E.  I.: 

I)\VTS    AND    PITMAN,    PRINTERS. 

1878. 


OF 


Who  Ml  at  Vera  Cm,  March  22, 1847. 


'In  science,  in  erudition,  in  taste ;  in  honor, .  in  generosity,  in  humanity ;   in  every 
liberal  sentiment,  and  every  liberal  accomplishment."    Burke. 


NEWPOKT,  B.  I.: 

DAVIS    AND    PITMAN,    PRINTERS, 

1878. 


When  one  of  the  countless  shots  thrown  in  a  siege  and 
defence,  which  might  have  spent  itself  in  the  air  or  on  the 
ground,  takes  suddenly  out  of  life  a  mature  and  accomplished 
man,  we  are  made  to  feel  how  serious  are  the  chances  of  war, 
and  how  heavily  its  issues  of  death  may  come  upon  the  coun-. 
try  and  the  public  service,  as  well  as  on  the  distant  circle  of 
private  Ufe.  Nor  are  we  willing  that  the  loss  of  such  a  man 
should  receive  only  the  official  or  temporary  notices  of  the 
event  and  manner  of  his  death. 

A  graduate  of  West  Point,  a  Master  of  Arts  in  a  leading 
New  England  college,  a  scholar  in  the '  Greek,  Latin  and 
Hebrew  languages,  carefully  and  extensively  read  in  theology 
(for  many  years  his  favorite  study),  well  versed  in  meta 
physics,  ethics,  constitutional  and  international  law,  and  in 
an  unusual  degree  acquainted  with  the  rules  of  municipal  and 
technical  jurisprudence,  a  master  of  Mathematics  and  of  the 
scientific  part  of  his  own  profession,  which  he  had  practiced 
from  a  boy,  well  instructed  and  deeply  interested  in  astron 
omy,  chemistry  and  most  of  the  physicial  sciences,  so  skill 
ful  and  so  tasteful  with  his  pencil  as  to  have  given  his 
pictures  a  rank  among  the  works  of  professed  artists,  and 
made  them  intrinsically  valuable  gifts  to  his  friends,  with 
intellectual  powers  unusually  good  by  nature,  and  scrupu 
lously  cultivated  and  held  under  absolute  discipline,  with  a 
grave  and  serious  cast  of  mind  from  childhood,  resulting  in 
a  deep-seated  and  mastering  principle  of  religion,  a  father,  a 
son  and  a  brother,  with  a  heart  set  on  the  kindly  affections, 
bound  to  life  by  every  tie — such  a  man,  so  constituted  by 
nature  and  so  elaborately  fitted  and  adorned  for  future 
action,  the  cruel  chances  of  war,  and  accidental  shot,  (I 
speak  as  a  fool),  a  senseless  iron  ball,  has  in  a  moment  taken 


6 

at  Tampico,  and  no  longer  ago  than  yesterday  lamented  to 
me  that  he  had  received  no  advices  as  yet  of  the  appoint 
ment.  He  spoke  of  it  again  this  evening,  with  highly 
complimentary  reference  to  Vinton's  gallant  and*  distin 
guished  services  at  Monterey.  General  Scott  repeated  this 
evening  that  the  instantaneous  surrender  of  the  city  and 
castle  would  not  assuage  his  grief,  nor  compensate  the  coun 
try  for  the  loss  of  such  a  son."  Toward  evening  of  the  22d 
March,  Major  Vinton  went  out  upon  an  exposed  situation, 
to  watch  the  effect  of  our  shot,  and  the  direction  of  that 
from  the  enemy.  He  remained  there  for  some  time,  came 
down,  and  said  to  Major  Martin  Scott,  who  commanded  the 
covering  party.  "  Tell  the  officers,  Major,  as  you  pass  the 
mortars,  that  our  guns  are  working  accurately."  He  had 
just  returned  to  his  post,  when  a  huge  shell,  striking  the 
top  of  the  parapet,  glanced  and  struck  his  head,  fracturing 
the  skull.  He  fell  instantly  dead,  lying  upon  his  back,  with 
his  arms  crossed  over  his  breast,  his  face,  as  an  officer  writes 
who  was  present,  "retaining  its  habitual  expression,  sedate 
and  earnest,  but  not  harsh."  The  officers  and  men  rushed 
to  him  as  he  fell,  and  gathered  about  him.  The  shell  did 
not  burst,  fortunately,  for  it  was  found  to  be  charged  with  a 
pound  of  powder,  and  320  musket  balls.  Upon  his  body 
were  found  letters  from  his  children,  stained  with  his  life 
blood,  which  flowed  from  a  wound  in  his  breast.  He  was 
buried  in  the  military  coat  in  which  he  fell.  The  funeral  was 
attended  by  the  general -in -chief  and  all  the  officers  who 
could  be  spared  from  duty,  and  the  service  of  the  Church 
was  read  over  him  by  a  brother  officer,  a  friend  of  many 
years,  amid  the  roar  of  cannon,  the  falling  of  the  enemy's 
shot,  and  the  whirling  of  sand  in  the  fierce  Norther- 
snatched  from  the  victory  of  the  morrow,  that  his  spirit 
might  gain  a  greater  victory  over  death  and  the  grave. 

Having  had  the  melancholy  privilege  of  reading  portions 
of  the  journals  and  letters  of  the  deceased,  and  haviDg 
learned  many  particulars  of  his  life  from  the  best  sources,  I 
have  desired  to  perform  one  of  the  duties  a  citizen  owes  to 
such  a  man,  by  presenting  his  character  and  services  to  the 


sympathy  and  admiration  they  so  justly  deserve.  But  I  find 
it  will  be  impossible,  within  the  limits  of  these  columns,  to 
give*even  a  rapid  sketch  of  his  life,  with  such  anecdotes  and 
extracts  from  his  journals  and  letters  as  will  exhibit  him  in 
the  light  in  which  he  has  always  appeared  to  those  who 
knew  him.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  make  selections  where 
there  are  so  abundant  materials,  each  portion  of  which  ex 
hibits  some  trait  we  are  unwilling  to  omit.  The  evidence 
presented  by  these  letters  and  journals,  and  the  letters  ad 
dressed  to  him  at  various  periods,  is  'of  a  kind  not  to  be 
doubted.  Opinions  expressed  after  a  melancholy  or  glorious 
death  are  apt  to  be  over  favorable  to  the  former  life  and 
character;  but  there  is  no  severer  trial  and  no  more  trium 
phant  issue  than  when  a  man  is  weighed  by  contemporane 
ous  evidence,  furnished  without  favor  or  reference  to  future 
effect.  Tried  in  this  balance,  all  will  agree,  nay  will  ardently 
proclaim  that  in  Major  Vinton,  the  country  has  lost  a  man 
of  extraordinary  qualities  of  mind  and  heart,  who,  had  he 
lived,  would  have  adorned  the  highest  stations  in  his  pro 
fession  in  a  manner  not  to  be  always  expected  of  merely 
military  men. 

The  son  of  a  lady  of  uncommon  powers  of  mind,  joined 
with  great  worth  and  influence  of  character,  the  elder  of 
four  brothers,  now  distinguished  in  the  church  and  army, 
he  was  a  boy  of  unusual  promise  at  school,  and  was  cele 
brated  at  West  Point,  where  his  instructors,  in  letters 
written  at  the  time,  pronounced  him  "  unrivalled  "  in  genius, 
acquirements,  and  high  tone  of  moral  character.  He  received 
a  commission  when  scarcely  seventeen,  was  employed  for 
several  years  on  topographical  duty  on  the  Atlantic  coast 
and  the  Canada  line,  and  yet  was  so  good  a  tactician,  that 
at  an  early  age  he  was  appointed  by  Gen.  Eustis,  adjutant 
at  the  school  of  practice,  and  gave  entire  satisfaction  in 
that  arduous  office  to  a  fastidious  commander.  While  resid 
ing  at  Washington,  as  aid  to  Gen.  Brown,  he  was  employed 
by  the  government  in  several  duties  of  a  special  nature,  and 
certain  papers  which  he  prepared  were  so  generally  admired 
in  Congress,  that  in  a  leading  speech  in  favor  of  the  Military 


8 

Academy,  Lieut.  Vinton  was  referred  to  as  an  instance  of 
the  kind  of  men  the  system  of  that  institution  could  pro 
duce.  * 

Indeed,  success  might  be  predicted  in  every  thing  he 
undertook  ;  for  he  had  too  much  self-knowledge  to  under 
take  what  he  was  not  fitted  for,  and  an  energy,  method,  and 
high  spirit,  which  yielded  to  nothing  short  of  necessity. 
Until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Florida  War,  nearly  all  his  life 
was  passed  in  garrison  duty  on  the  sea-board,  where  he  had 
great  advantages  for  the  pursuit  of  his  studies.  His 
furloughs  were  spent  in  traveling,  or  in  the  refined  society 
found  in  the  larger  cities,  and  among  libraries  and  works  of 
art,  in  which  he  delighted.  His  chief  recreation  was  with 
his  pencil,  in  copying  frV>m  nature  or  the  great  masters, 
chiefly  in  land -scapes  or  scriptural  subjects,  and  his  passion 
for  this  art  seemed  to  grow  "with  every  year  of  his  life.  But 
he  constantly  bent  the  powers  of  his  mind  to  hard  and  sys 
tematic  study.  The  secret  of  his  success  is  to  be  found  in 
a  few  lines  of  a  confidential  letter  to  a  young  friend,  written 
about  this  time  ;  "  I  have  been  thought  over  rigid,  and  even 
heartless,  in  my  requirements  for  the  formation  of  excellent 
character  ;  but  it  is  because  I  have  seen  how  idle,  how  sense 
less  and  pernicious,  are  the  ordinary  habits  and  views  of 
young  men,  that  I  became  so  exigeant  in  my  beau-ideal.  I 
could  repudiate  all  pleasures  that  do  not  please  on  reflec 
tion,  and  abandon  every  pursuit  that  does  not  lead  to 
substantial  results.  I  speak  now  of  precepts  applicable  to 
young  men  of  ambition — those  who  wish  to  be  useful  or 
distinguished  in  the  world.  As  to  drones,  I  make  no  rules 
for  them." 

By  the  pursuit  of  such  a  course  of  rigid  self-denial  and 
discipline,  he  was  able  to  perform  labors  in  various  depart 
ments  of  art  and  science,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  command 
the  respect  of  men  to  whom  those  pursuits  were  profes 
sional.  The  works  of  his  pencil  are  received  among  artists  ; 
his  correspondence  upon  astronomical  subjects  were  valued 
by  men  of  science  ;  his  general  scholarship  procured  him  a 
degree  of  Master  of  Arts  in  a  leading  University ;  his 


edition  of  the  work  on  military  tactics  was  highly  satisfac 
tory  to  the  government  and  the  general-in-chief ;  and  in  the 
•second  volume  of  Mr.  Sunmer's  Reports,  the  lawyer  will 
find  an  argument  prepared  by  him  in  a  case  in  which  he  was 
personally  interested,  depending  before  Judge  Story,  to 
which  that  judge  paid  the  best  compliment  of  following  in 
his  decision,  the  same  course  of  reasoning  pursued  in  the 
argument 

His  letters  show  him  to  have  been  as  remarkable  for  the 
soundness  of  his  views  as  for  his  acquisitions.  With  refer 
ence  to  several  political  and  theological  subjects  of  those 
times,  they  show  us  how  a  thoughtful  man,  removed  from 
the  strife  of  parties  and  the  whirl  of  events,  may  take  the 
same  views  at  which  the  actors  come  to  after  the  retrospec 
tion  of  years. 

But  that  which  most  interests  us  in  his  character,  is  the 
tenderness  and  depth  of  his  affections.  He  had  married  a 
lady  of  distinguished  merit  and  beauty,  who  died  early, 
leaving  three  children,  two  daughters  and  a  son,  who  now 
survive  both  their  parents.  In  his  relations  as  a  father,  a 
husband,  a  son,  and  a  brother,  he  was  sensitive  to  every  im 
pression,  and  gave  and  received  exquisite  pleasure  in  the 
interchanges  of  affection  and  esteem.  In  one  letter  we  find 
an  earnest  plea  for  the  paternal  affection,  in  answer  to  a 
suggestion  that  it  might  interfere  with  the  love  and  duty 
we  owe  to  the  Most  High.  He  speaks  from  the  heart,  and 
and  will  not  permit  the  natural  affections  to  be  severed  from 
religion,  and  set  over  against  the  love  of  God. 

Indeed,  the  tone  of  his  mind  was  grave,  and  its  tendencies 
religious  and  peaceful.  So  far  was  he  from  falling  into  the 
error,  common  among  young  military  men,  of  supposing  it 
necessary  to  profess  fondness  for  war,  that  he  never  hesi 
tated  to  deprecate  it  as  the  greatest  evil.  At  the  time  of 
the  threatened  rupture  with  France,  and  again  with  Great 
Britain,  his  letters  are  full  of  expressions  of  hope  that  peace 
may  be  preserved,  and  of  suggestions  as  to  the  mode  of 
securing  it;  while  he  was  faithfully  preparing  himself  for 
duty  in  the  field.  But  still  more  earnest  is  he  when,  during 


10 

the  Sonth  Carolina  difficulties,  a  civil  war  seemed  impending. 
"  Supposing  victory  to  crown  either  standard,  there  is  noth 
ing  to  be  hoped  for  in  the  subsequent  acts  of  the  prevailing 
party  which  will  promise  uinch  for  the  welfare  of  the  coun 
try,  or  of  the  human  family.  Arms,  therefore,  is  an  alterna 
tive  to  be  deprecated  beyond  measure.  The  lessons  which 
are  read  to  us  daily  from  South  America,  are  sufficient  to 
teach  the  dullest  understanding  on  this  point.  This  is  not 
a  government  to  be  supported  by  bayonets,  nor  the  contro 
versy  one  of  physical  prowess.  Any  arbitration  is  better 
than  successful  contest  in  the  field." 

While  in  Florida,  in  the  prosecution  of  the  war,  his  mind 
came  under  the  influence  of  religion  far  more  than  ever  be 
fore.  His  whole  soul  was  warmed  into  a  new  life,  and  for  a 
while,  like  the  bewildered  apostles,  he  seemed  to  "  stand 
gazing  up  into  heaven."  His  journal  and  letters  during  this 
period  are  of  the  most  intensely  interesting  character. 
Nothing  in  the  famed  life  of  Martyn  more  touches  the 
heart,  than  the  humility,  self-accusation,  and  child-like  de- 
votedness  of  the  high-minded,  heroic  man.  At  a  secluded 
post,  in  the  midst  of  the  interminable  pine  forests, 
the  solitude  and  silence  of  which  he  describes  as 
awful  and  almost  oppressive,  far  from  his  family  and 
friends,  his  mind  and  affections  ripened  into  the  highest 
state  of  Christian  experience  and  discipline.  He  then 
turned  his  thoughts,  or  rather,  they  were  turned  for 
him,  towards  the  office  of  the  Christian  ministry.  His  let 
ters  are  full  of  doubts,  hopes  and  plannings  for  taking  Holy 
Orders.  He  £ears  that  his  health  will  not  enable  him  to 
follow  a  sedentary  life  ;  he  doubts  his  fitness  ;  fears  that 
selfish  motives,  the  prospect  of  being  with  his  family  and 
friends,  may  combine  with  others ;  and  examines  himself  in 
the  most  thorough  and  humble  manner.  He  cannot  honor 
ably  quit  the  army  then  in  the  field,  and  the  prospect  of 
retiring  from  it  was  somewhat  distant.  His  pecuniary 
affairs,  too,  were  hardly  such  as  to  warrant  him  in  yielding 
up  all  income  for  three  or  four  years,  and  the  banks  in 
which  his  property  was  invested  were  embarrassed  and  in 


danger.  Then  too,  he  doubts  if  he  is  not  too  old  to  begin 
the  study  of  a  new  profession  ;  but  modestly  considers  his 
acquirements  in  the  languages,,  and  avers  that  he  aims  at 
Ho  distinction  as  a  scholar  or  a  preacher,  but  only  at  that 
degree  of  fitness  which  the  rules  of  the  Church  require,  to 
enable  him  to  do  his  work  in  some  humble  part  of  the  vine 
yard.  To  lose  no  time  he  sends  for  books,  and  in  his  tent 
and  in  the  forest  he  pores  over  the  Greek  and  Hebrew, 
the  commentators  and  sermonizers,  and  devoutly  uses  the 
best  books  of  meditation  and  reflection.  He  prepared  sev^ 
eral  outlines  of  sermons,  and  in  his  choice  of  subjects  leaned 
towards  those  of  a  pathetic  and  personal  character,  that  are 
more  likely  to  bring  tears  into  the  eyes  than  to  tax  the 
understanding.  As  another  preparation,  he  used  to  read 
parts  of  the  service  aloud  by  himself  in  the  forest.  He  says 
in  his  journal :  "  It  requires  time  and  habitude  for  one  to 
become  reconciled  to  the  sound  of  his  own  voice.  It  throws 
one  at  first  into  absolute  trepidation.  In  the  solitude  it  is 
sufficiently  appalling.  What  must  it  be  in  an  assembly  of 
people,  a  silent  auditory,  where  a  thousand  eyes  are  fixed 
upon  you,  a  whole  congregation  of  faces  bent  upon  you,  ready 
to  criticise  and  condemn  the  slightest  fault  ?"  This  from  a 
man  who  could  stand  with  firm  nerves  a  three-hours'  fire  from 
concealed  Indians,  scale  the  heights  and  walls  of  Monterey, 
a»d  face  the  blazing  batteries  of  Vera  Cruz ! 

In  a  letter  from  Fort  Taylor,  he  says :  "  Since  I  have  been 
here,  which  is  five  or  six  weeks,  the  following  has  been  my 
daily  course :  Rise  at  reveille,  private  devotions,  study  Greek 
and  Hebrew.  Walk  to  my  palmetto  temple, .  a  mile  distant. 
Church  service  aloud.  Return  to  reading.  Dinner.  Read 
ing  aloud  with  Major  G.  Study  Greek  an  hour.  Walk  with 
Major  G.  to  palmetto  temple,  social  prayer  and  hymn.  Re 
turn  to  tea.  Bible  class  of  twenty  soldiers  and  two  or  three 
officers  in  the  evening.  After  tattoo,  retire  to  my  tent,  Greek 
and  Hebrew  or  religious  reading,  private  devotions  and  bed. 
On  Sundays  we  have  public  worship,  with  good  attendance 
from  men  and  officers,  the  Major  and  I  officiating  alternately. 
Our  interruptions  are  so  few,  that  the  foregoing  routine  is 


12 

carried  on  with  great  regularity  day  after  day.^    It  is  proper 
to  remark,  that  this  is  from  a  letter  written  to  one  whom  he? 
had  selected  as  a  confidential  adviser  in  his  religions  habit> 
and  studies. 

Bnt  it  IB  in  vain  to  attempt  to  do  justice  to  this  period  of 
his  life.  Perhaps  it  had  been  better  to  pass  it  by  in  silence, 
It  is  of  a  sacred  and  private  nature,  and  may  not  be  under 
stood  or  appreciated  when  so  hastily  noticed. 

It  was  Capt  Vinton's  fortune  to  be  engaged  in  one  of  the 
few  battles  of  that  distasteful  war,  the  action  at  Lake  Munroe. 
The  event,  and  his  own  feelings,  are  faithfully  described  in 
his  letter  of  February  12,  1837  :  "  I  have  at  last  been  an  actor 
in  the  trying  scenes  of  a  battle.  Hostile  bullets  have  whistled 
their  strange  music  in  my  ears,  and  my  hitherto  untried 
nerves  have  been  tested  by  the  crisis,  which  puts  them  to  the 
severest  trial.  The  ordeal  has  been  passed,  I  may  say  suc 
cessfully.  I  am  assured  of  my  ability  to  be  composed  and 
self-possessed,  though  my  comrades  were  falling  on  my  right 
hand  and  my  left." 

"Early  in  the  morning  of  the  8th  inst.,  half  an  hour  before 
light,  we  were  aroused  by  the  war-cry  of  the  savages,  and  a 
fire  was  poured  into  our  camp  on  all  sides,  except  that  towards 
the  lake.  Our  men,  though  recruits,  almost  without  excep 
tion,  repaired  with  alacrity  to  their  posts  and  returned  upon 
the  enemy  full  volleys  of  musketry.  The  morning  was  ren 
dered  still  more  obscure  by  a  dense  fog,  which,  with  the 
smoke  from  the  fire-arms,  nearly  concealed  the  enemy  from 
our  sight.  But  we  had  the  direction  with  sirfficient  precision 
and  poured  in  our  shot  with  interest.  For  three  hours  this 
conflict  continued,  with  only  one  or  two  slight  intermissions, 
our  men  gaining  confidence  and  enthusiasm  every  moment. 
At  length  the  savages  began  to  slacken  their  fire,  and  made  off 
carrying  their  dead  and  wounded,  but  leaving  behind  many 
articles  which  they  would  never  have  relinquished  but  for 
discomfiture  and  necessity.  They  came  down  upon  us  with 
all  their  force,  thinking  perhaps,  to  take  possession  of  our 
camp.  Their  numbers  were  large,  variously  estimated  at  from 
three  to  five  hundred,  and  their  fire  was  sustained  with  a 


13 

vigor  and  pertinacity  unprecedented."  In  this  action  Capi 
Mellon  was  killed,  and  Lieut.  McLaughlin  and  thirteen 
privates  wounded.  One  man  was  struck  down  at  Capt.  Vin- 
ton's  side,  so  near  as  to  cover  him  with  his  blood. 

Although  officers  were  brevetted  and  promoted  who  did 
not  see  an  Indian  nor  hear  the  crack  of  a  rifle  during  the 
whole  war,  and  appointments  were  made  from  political 
motives,  over  the  heads  of  the  regular  officers,  yet  Capt. 
Vinton  received  no  favor-  from  the  source  of  official  honor. 
This  has  always  been  considered  a  gross  injustice.  Doubt 
less  it  was  so ;  but  there  were  reasons  which  account  for, 
though  they  do  not  excuse  it.  He  would  never  make,  nor 
permit  his  friends  to  make  for  him,  those  efforts  through 
lobbies  and  ante-chambers  which  so  often  determine  official 
favor.  But  chiefly,  it  should  be  considered,  that  his  inten 
tion  of  leaving  the  army  and  taking  Holy  orders  was  well 
known ;  and  on  applying  for  a  furlough  at  the  end  of  the 
season,  he  had  intimated  his  intention  to  resign  his  com 
mission. 

The  continuance  of  the  war  in  Florida,  and  the  financial 
difficulties  of  the  country,  as  well  as  his  uncertain  health, 
obliged  him  to  abandon  his  cherished  hope  of  the  ministry, 
and  he  made  up  his  mind  to  devote  the  remainder  of  his  life 
to  the  duties  of  his  profession,  to  general  studies  and  to  the 
education  of  his  children. 

Being  at  Providence  during  the  Dorr  insurrection,  he 
entered  ardently  into  the  cause  of  the  State,  and  saw  the 
necessity  of  military  organization  and  discipline  to  save  the 
lives  and  property,  and  what  is  more  than  ]ife  or  property, 
of  the  inhabitants  from  the  recklessness  of  an  armed  mob. 
He  hastened  to  Washington  and  asked  for  authority  to  offer 
his  services  to  the  State.  This  was  not  given,  and  he  was 
told  that  he  must  act  on  his  own  responsibility.  As  he  was 
not  forbidden  he  took  the  responsibility ;  and  had  he  been 
called  to  account,  would  have  made  any  sacrifice  for  the  good 
of  his  native  State.  He  knew  the  risk  he  ran,  for  it  was 
generally  feared  that  if  the  Dorr  movement  prevailed  in 
Providence,  it  would  also  prevail  in  Washington.  The  people 


14 

of  Rhode  Island  well  remember  and  appreciate  the  value  of 
his  military  counsels  in  that  crisis,  of  his  incessant  disciplining' 
of  the  volunteer  companies,  and  the  spirit  and  intelligence 
infused  into  the  young  citizen  soldiers  by  his  course  of  mili 
tary  lectures.  And  we  rejoice  to  know  that  Rhode  Island  i» 
to  pay  to  his  memory  the  highest  honor  a  republic  can  pay  to 
one  who  has  served  his  country  faithfully  unto  death — the 
honor  of  reverently  transporting  his  remains  from  the  field  of 
his  fame  to  the  land  of  his  birth,  and  of  interring  them  among 
his  kindred  with  the  testimonials  of  a  public  funeral.  She 
may  be  congratulated  on  being  able  to  add  the  name  of  Vinton 
to  those  of  Greene,  Perry,  Olney,  and  others  of  her  sons,  who 
in  every  war  on  sea  and  on  land,  in  every  part  of  this  conti 
nent,  from  Lake  Erie  to  Vera  Cruz,  have  up-borne  the  honor 
of  that  high-spirited  State. 

While  stationed  at  the  arsenal  at  Augusta,  Georgia,  he 
received  orders  to  join  the  army  of  Gen.  Taylor,  on  its  march 
from  Rio  Grande  into  the  interior  of  Mexico.  During  this 
march,  he  performed  the  duties  of  a  field  officer,  often  with  a 
separate  command,  a  proof  of  peculiar  confidence  In  an  ene 
my's  country.  He  was  sent  to  take  possession  of  Mier,  which 
it  was  thought  would  be  defended,  and  to  act  as  governor  of 
the  place  during  its  occupation.  This  he  did  and  remained 
there  until  the  main  army  passed  on,  and  then  rejoined  it  in 
season  to  act  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  battle  of  Monterey. 
His  letters,  journals  and  pencil  sketches  give  excellent  des 
criptions  of  the  scenery  and  inhabitants  of  his  new  country, 
their  religion,  dress,  habits  and  characters,  and  present  a  fine 
illustration  of  the  uses  to  which  a  man  of  thought  and  science 
may  put  a  toilsome  and  oppressive  march.  But  his  letters 
are  yet  more  marked  by  his  characteristic  strength  of  affection. 
At  every  stage  he  corresponds  regularly  with  eacli  of  his 
children,  giving  most  excellent  and  affectionate  advice,  and 
often  touching  upon  the  holiest  and  most  sublime  topics. 
From  the  rude  furniture  of  his  tent,  surrounded  by  armed 
men  and  the  strongest  and  coarsest  developments  of  life,  he 
writes  a  beautiful,  critical  and  sober-minded  essay  on  the- 
presence  and  agency  of  the  spirits  of  departed  friends,  in 


15 

which  he  gives  his  views  of  the  subject  on  scriptural  grounds, 
and  upon  reasons  drawn  from  natural  religion  and  philosophy. 
Another  to  his  daughter,  contains  some  valuable  remarks  on 
the  choice  of  companions  in  a  large  school,  and  one  to  his  son 
presents  in  a  clear  and  simple  manner,  suited  to  a  boy's 
capacity,  the  difference  between  envy  and  emulation,  and 
gives  earnest  warning  against  seeking  for  relative  distinction. 
All  are  marked  by  a,  sense  of  the  reality  of  a  superintending 
Providence,  and  a  full  belief  in  an  intelligent,  personal, 
sympathetic  Supreme  Being.  In  all,  he  endeavors  to  instil 
the  governing  principle  of  his  own  life,  a  sense  of  duty.  To 
other  friends  he  writes  with  vigor  and  animation  upon  the 
campaign  and  its  results,  and  confesses  himself  deeply  inter 
ested  in  it.  After  alluding  to  the  hardships  of  the  march,  he 
says:  "Yet  there  is  excitement  and  manly  emprise,  and  on 
the  whole  I  am  far  better  pleased  here  than  when  luxuriating 
in  the  polished  halls  of  Augusta  Arsenal/'  On  the  night  of  the 
battle  of  Monterey,  he  writes  to  his  daughter,  showing  a 
spirit  of  preparation  for  the  duties  and  chances  of  the  mor 
row,  which  could  not  but  insure  him  success  in  whatever 
might  fall  to  his  lot  to  attempt. 

He  was  with  Gen.  Worth's  division  and  was  actively  and 
prominently  engaged  in  the  operations  of  each  day.  He  was 
with  the  troops  as  they  passed  so  long  under  the  fire  from  the 
two  heights,  in  the  storming  of  those  heights,  the  capture  of 
the  palace,  and  the  penetrating  into  the  town,  the  digging 
through  walls  and  firing  from  house-tops.  He  was  in  five 
several  engagements,  in  each  of  which  he  was  exposed  to 
severe  fire  from  the  enemy.  In  the  storming  of  the  second 
hill,  he  led  a  battalion  on  one  side  of  the  hill,  while  Col. 
Childs  commanded  on  the  other,  and  after  forcing  their  way 
up  over  rocks  and  brambles,  amid  a  shower  of  musket  balls, 
they  drove  the  enemy  from  the  top,  at  the  point  of  the  bayo 
net,  and  forced  them  to  retreat  to  the  stronghold  of  the 
bishop's  palace. 

The  part  performed  by  him  in  the  capture  of  the  bishop's 
palace  was  of  so  distinguished  a  character,  and  attracted  such 
admiration  at  the  time,  that  it  deserves  a  full  recital  here. 


16 

We  cannot  present  a  juster  description  of  it  than  is  contained 
in  a  letter  from  Capt.  Blanchard,  who  served  under  him  at 
the  time.  "  I  found  Capt.  J.  R  Vinton  in  command  of  the 
advance,  and  he  then  told  me  that  his  plan  was  to  try  to  draw 
the  enemy  from  their  position  in  and  near  the  palace,  and 
when  they  were  fairly  out,  to  rise  and  charge  them  vigorous 
ly  and  if  possible  to  get  possession  of  the  palace.  The  ad- 
Tance  was  covered  as  much  as  possible  behind  the  rocks,  to 
protect  them  from  the  dreadful  shower  of  grape  and  musket 
ry  which  the  enemy  kept  up  from  their  defences.  I  asked  him 
if  we  should  advance  or  fire.  He  told  me  that  I  might  ad 
vance  if  I  did  not  expose  my  men  too  much,  and  that  he 
wished  me  to  fall  back  whenever  I  saw  the  enemy  coming  out. 
until  we  were  upon  his  line  of  ambush,  and  then  to  close  on 
him  and  rush  on  them.  It  was  a  well  conceived  plan  and  the 
result  showed  that  it  was  well  executed.  The  enemy  were 
induced  to  come  out  |ind  charge,  and  as  they  came  up  the 
hill,  Capt.  Vinton  shouted,  'now  my  men,  close  and  drive 
them  !'  With  a  will  they  closed  to  centre,  delivered  their 
fire  and  with  charged  bayonets  rushed  on  the  Mexicans.  They 
were  thunder-struck,  and  after  a  moment's  stand,  broke  and 
ran.  Our  men  were  in  the  palace  and  fort  before  they  all 
escaped,  and  in  ten  minutes  their  own  guns  were  turned  upon 
them.  The  main  body  under  Col.  Childs  came  down  in  solid 
column  and  we  were  the  victors.  It  was  a  stirring,  thrilling 
scene,  and  I  cannot  do  it  justice,  for  it  should  be  seen  to  be 
felt.  Capt.  Vinton  derived  all  the  credit  which  his  position 
enabled  him  to  obtain,  and  I  shall  always  be  of  the  opinion 
that  his  plan  was  an  admirable  one.  I  hope  he  will  be  pro 
moted,  not  only  for  his  skilful  and  gallant  conduct  on  that 
day,  but  for  his  general  meritorious  conduct  as  an  officer." 

This  manoeuvre,  so  well-planned  and  so  consummately 
executed,  w*as  distinctly  seen  by  the  officers  of  the  brigade 
on  the  opposite  side,  who  spoke  of  it  as  brilliant  in  the  ex 
treme,  and  the  first  reports  that  reached  us,  brought  his 
name  as  conspicuous  among  the  heroes  of  the  day. 

After  some  time  spent  at  Monterey  and  Saltillo,  he  was 
ordered  with  the  greater  part  of  the  regulars  to  join  Gen. 


17 

Scott  in  the  attack  on  Yera  Cruz.  Here  it  was  he  wrote  his 
last  letter  which  has  already  been  given  to  the  public.  Those 
who  knew  him  know  how  truly  he  speaks  of  his  past  life. 
His  country  will  not  forget  in  what  spirit  he  gave  his  to  her 
"in  her  time  of  appeal."  "I  have  hitherto  lived  mostly  for 
others — but  my  children  will  reap  some  of  the  fruits  of  my 
self-denial  by  the;  means  I  shall  leave  them  of  living  indepen 
dently,  and  securing  a  good  education.  I  commit  them,  in 
full  reliance  to  the  care  of  their  Heavenly  Father,  and  I  hope 
their  trust  in  Him  will  ever  be  at  least  as  firm  as  my  own. 
My  confidence  in  the  over-ruling  providence  of  God  is  un 
qualified,  so  that  I  go  to  the  field  of  action  assured  that  what 
ever  may  befall  me  will  be  for  the  best.  I  feel  proud  to 
serve  my  country  in  her  time  of  appeal ;  and  should  even  the 
worst,  death  itself,  be  my  lot,  I  shall  meet  it  cheerfully." 

In  the  opening  of  this  Memoir,  I  noticed  the  manner  of  his 
death  and  the  high  opinion  entertained  of  him  by  the  general- 
in-chief.  It  is  gratifying  to  know  that  this  regard  was  not 
owing  to  accidental  intimacy,  still  less  to  anything  in  the 
nature  of  favoritism.  On  the  contrary,  without  intruding 
into  private  relations,  I  may  be  permitted  to  say  that  Capt. 
Vinton  earned,  by  proofs  of  a  high  tone  of  character  and 
uncommon  abilities,  addressed  to  the  mind  of  an  honorable 
and  discriminating  commander,  the  favor  and  confidence  he 
received. 

It  is  painful  to  reflect  that  Capt.  Vinton  died  without  know 
ing  that  his  services  at  Monterey  had  been  appreciated  and 
rewarded  by  the  government.  It  was  six  months  since  ,the 
capture  of  Monterey :  Congress  had  been  in  session  nearly 
four  months,  and  the  session  was  drawing  to  a  close.  Ten 
regiments  had  been  added  to  the  army.  Men  of  every  sort 
and  kind  taken  from  all  imaginable  situations  in  life,  favored 
by  some  political  or  personal  influence,  had  obtained  high 
titles  and  commands,  overtopping  the  educated  gentlemen  of 
ten  and  twenty  years  service :  and  the  men  who  had  fought 
and  bled  in  the  field,  the  heroes  of  Monterey,  remained  un 
noticed.  Men  too,  who  had  never  set  a  squadron  in  the  field, 
never  given  or  executed  an  order,  were  appointed  at  once  to 


18 

stations  which  the  regular  officers  could  hardly  hope  to  reach 
in  a  long  life  and  after  many  campaigns.  An  officer  writes : 
"The  army  feels  keenly  that  the  officers  who  have  so  nobly  dis 
tinguished  themselves  in  the  field  receive  neither  brevets  nor 
promotions.  Why  should  not  such  men  as  Childs,  John  R. 
Vinton  and  C.  F.  Smith,  and  others  of  that  class,  be  placed 
at  the  head  of  the  new  regiments."  Towards  the  close  of  the 
session,  the  tardy  act  of  justice  was  performed  but  too  late 
to  gratify  the  proper  pride  of  one  at  least  of  those  to  whom 
it  was  directed.  His  appointment  as  Major,  confirmed  in 
March,  and  dating  back  to  the  battle  of  Monterey,  reached 
the  besieging  army  a  few  days  after  his  fall.  He  died  in  the 
belief  that  his  services  were  overlooked.  But  to  such  a  man 
with  whom  duty  and  not  opinion  had  been  the  ruling  prin 
ciple,  this  little  honor  was  not  necessary.  He  made  no  com 
plaint,  but  again  took  his  life  hi  his  hand  and  stood  among 
the  murderous  shells  and  balls  that  ploughed  the  ground 
about  the  devoted  post,  proud  of  being  thought  worthy  of  a 
trust  so  conspicuous  and  so  critical.  "I  observed,"  says  a 
writer,  "  the  look  of  gratified  pride  that  lighted  up  his  thought 
ful  countenance,  when  the  general  answered  to  him  that  he 
was  appointed  to  that  command." 

His  habits  of  order  were  singularly  preserved  to  the  last. 
On  the  leaves  of  a  pocket-book  he  made  daily  and  almost 
hourly  memoranda  in  pencil,  which  he  afterwards  transferred 
at  leisure,  to  his  journal.  These  notes  are  carried  down  in  a 
clear  hand,  to  within  less  than  an  hour  of  his  fall,  and  being 
found  on  his  person  are  now  in  the  possession  of  his  friends. 
The  last  entry  is  as  follows: 

"March  22d,  ordered  to  the  trenches  to  command  the 
batteries,  early.  Gen.  Scott  sent  in  a  flag  for  the  city  to  sur 
render  at  2  p.  m.,  refused.  Seven  mortars  opened  at  4  p. 
in.  Heavy  cannonading." 

These  were  his  last  words.     In  a  few  minutes  he  fell. 

To  those  who  have  questions  as  to  the  military  calling,  it 
may  be  said  that  Major  Vinton  followed  his  profession  with 
no  unsatisfied  or  uninquiring  conscience.  He  had  settled  it 
in  his  own  mind  that  the  office  of  an  armed  magistrate,  for 


19 

such  only  is  the  soldier  of  a  Christian  civilized  state,  is  an 
honorable  and  necessary  one  in  organized  society,  distinctly 
recognized  in  "the  ways  of  God  to  men,"  and  approved  by 
the  best  and  wisest  of  all  ages  and  nations.  With  the  devout 
Fuller  he  could  say,  "a  soldier  is  one  of  lawful,  necessary, 
commendable,  and  honorable  profession,"  and  with  the  author 
of  the  "Kingdom  of  Christ,"  he  might  add,  "and  wtrt  I  say 
further  is,  that  if  we  attach  any  sacredness  to  the  Jewish 
history,  as  containing  the  divine  specimen  of  a  national  life, 
we  cannot  refuse  to  believe  that  the  other  nations  of  antiquity 
were  justified  in  their  deep  inward  conviction  that  God  has 
not  given  swords  to  men  in  vain,  but  that  there  are  occasions 
on  which  the  magistrate  is  bound,  by  his  allegiance  to  God, 
to  cut  off  offenders  against  the  majesty  of  law." 

It  is  not  alone  to  the  God-fearing  and  accepted  warriors  of 
the  old  testament,  whose  lives  are  written  for  our  example, 
nor  to  those  whom  John  the  Baptist  taught  to  be  just  and 
merciful  bearers  of  the  sword,  nor  to  the  devout  centurion, 
to  whom,  in  the  midst  of  the  Roman  camp,  the  angel  could 
say,  "Thy  prayers  and  thine  alms  have  come  up  as  a  memorial 
before  God,"  nor  to  St.  Louis  and  other  hero  saints  of  later 
ages,  that  we  are  to  look  for  illustrations  of  the  great  truth, 
that  the  application  of  force,  under  the  solemn  sanctions  of 
the  highest  earthly  tribunals,  to  protect  from  wrong,  and 
enforce  right,  whether  against  our  own  citizens,  or  against 
our  neighbors,  in  tribes  or  in  nations,  is  a  legitimate  and 
recognized  portion  of  the  divine  government  upon  earth, 
administered  by  human,  responsible  agents.  Until  the  king 
dom  of  peace  shall  be  fully  established  on  earth,  every  age 
will  present  for  our  regard  its  Christian  warriors,  as  well  as 
jurists,  scholars  and  statesmen.  For  the  coming  of  that 
kingdom,  no  one  prayed  more  sincerely  than  he  whose  beau 
tiful,  refined  and  chastened  life  terminated,  by  what  we  might 
almost  call  an  incongruity,  amidst  the  uproar  of  a  field  of 
battle. 


r 


Who  is  the  happy  warrior  ?  Who  is  he 

That  every  man  in  arms  should  wish  to  be  ? 

Who,  doomed  to  go  in  company  with  Pain, 

And  Fear  and  Bloodshed,  miserable  train ! 

Turns  his  necessity  to  glorious  gain ; 

In  face  of  these  doth  exercise  a  power 

Which  is  our  human  nature's  highest  dower; 

Whose  powers  shed  round  him  in  the  common  strife, 

Or  mild  concerns  of  ordinary  life, 

A  constant  influence,  a  peculiar  grace  : 

But  who,  if  he  be  called  upon  to  face 

Some  awful  moment  to  which  Heaven  has  joined 

Great  issues,  good  or  bad  for  human  kind, 

Is  happy  as  a  lover :  and  attired 

With  sudden  brightness,  as  a  man  inspired : 

And,  through  the  heat  of  conflict,  keeps  the  law. 

In  calmness  made,  and  sees  what  he  foresaw  : 

Or,  if  an  unexpected  call  succeed, 

Coine  when  it  will,  is  equal  to  the  need : 

He  who,  though  thus  endued  as  with  a  sense 

And  faculty  for  storm  and  turbulence, 

Is  yet  a  soul  whose  master-bias  leans 

To  hoine-f  elt  pleasures  and  to  gentle  scenes  : 

Sweet  images !  which  where'er  he  be, 

Are  at  his  heart ;  and  such  fidelity, 

It  is  his  darling  passion  to  approve  ; 

More  brave  for  this,  that  he  hath  much  to  love. 

This  is  the  happy  warrior ;  this  is  he 
Whom  every  man  in  arms  should  wish  to  be. 


